Cloth-cutting machine.



m1666513. Patented 1an. 22, mol.v Y w. GERHARDT.

cLoTH cu'rms MACHINE.

- (Application led Apr. 4, 1900.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l,

l l 17H/Q21 l W/T/VESSES A #OHNE ys No. 666,513. Patented 1an. 22, Ism.

w. GERHARDT. l

CLOTHEUTTING MACHINE. (Application med Apr. 4. 1900.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

o?, By I 'OHNEYS u: Noam: ps1-'sns co. Nam-uma., wAsnmcron. D. c.

l No. 666,5l3. 'Patented 1an. 22, |901.

w. GERHARDT.

CLOTH CUTTING MACHINE.

(Application tiled Apr. 4. 1900.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheena-Sheet 3.

W/ TNE SSE S /N VE N TOH WMM A WOR/v5 ys Nrrnn France WILLIAM GERHARDT,OF HAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA.

CLOTH-CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 666,513, dated January22, 1901.

Application led April 4, 1900. berial No. 11,481. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, WILLIAM GERHARDT, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Hazleton, in the county of Luzerne and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Cloth-Cutting Machine, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an electrically-operatedcloth-cutter, which may be freely moved over the cutting-table andeffectively cut the cloth without necessitating the operator using onehand to press the cloth down and feed it into position, since thisfrequently causes the operator to be seriously cut by the machine.

This specification is the disclosure of one form of the invention, whilethe claims define the actual scope thereof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan view. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on theline 4 4 of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a cross-section on the line 5 5 of Fig. l.Fig. 6 is adetail view of the contact device. Fig. 7 is a section on theline 7 7 of Fig. 6, and Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 1.

The machine is provided with a flat base 10, which has suitable knobs orthe like 11 on its bottoni, facilitating the sliding of the machine overthe cutting-table. A hollow standard 12 is erected on the base 10 andcarries .at its upper portion an electric motor 14,

which may be of any desired form. As shown best in Fig. 2, this motorcomprises a tubular projection 15, on which a lamp 16 is carried. (SeeFig. 1.) The conductors for the lamp are led through the tubularprojection 15 and placed in connection with the circuit of the motor, aswill be understood. The electrical energy is led to the motor by aconductor-cord 17, which is fitted with a weight 18, having a sheave 19therein, which runs on the cord to keep the cord at the proper tension.The cord is held fast to the motor arm 21 on the motor.

conductor-cord 17 fast the strain of the weight 18 and other iniiuenceswill not aifect the varions connections on the motor. The cord 17 iscarried on a number of sheaves 22, which are sustained in cheek-rings23. These rings are two in number and fastened rigidly together by thepins of the sheaves 22. The rings 23 are swiveled on a tubularconnection 24, which is fast to a plate 25, that may be attached to theceiling or any other overhead support by means of screws and thirnbles26, as shown. Through this tubular connection 24 the conductor-cord 17is led from a suitable switch 27, as shown in Fig. 1. The rings 23 beingfree to turn it will be seen that the operator may use the cutter in anydesired position without interference from the electrical connections,and it willalso be seen that the Weight 18 will hold the conductormord17 taut. I provide means for throwing the motor into and out ofconnection with the circuit, which means are shown in Figs. 1, 6, and 7.These means comprise an insulatingblock 43, having two pins 44 therein,which are in connection with the positive and negative poles of themotor. A second insulating-block 45 is provided and carries two pins 46,that are in connection with the wires of the conducting-cord 17. Theblock 43 has conducting-sleeves 47 fitted therein and in electricalconnection with the pins 44, and into these sleeves 47 the ends of thepins 46 may be projected, thus establishing the necessary connections.To work these connections, the block 45 may be moved out of the positionshown in Figs. 1 and 6, thus stopping the action of the motor. Themotor, of course, may be provided with various other appliances forfacilitating its operation, as will be understood by persons skilled inthe art. Arranged in the standard 12 are two stubshafts 28, which arelocated one above the other and carry, respectively, the circular knives29. These knives are oppositely beveled and work against each other, asshown, the knives overlapping, so as to form a shear cut between them. Acutting-plate 30 is also provided to work with the lower knife 29, suchplate being fastened on the base 10 and being slotted, so that the knifemay be projected through it. It will therefore be seen IOO that thecutting capacity of the instrument extends from a point on top of thebase 1() up to a point above the axis of the upper knife 29. The knives29 are driven from a shaft 31, which is passed transversely through andmounted in the stub-shafts 28. The upper end of the shaft 31 is mountedin the box 32, which carries the armature-shaft of the motor. Vithinthis box 32 is a bushing 33, into which the upper extremity of the shaft31 projects, thereby locking the bushing in place and preventing it fromlongitudinal movement in the bearing. The armature-shaft is fitted witha bevel-gear 34, which meshes with a pinion 35 on the shaft 31. Eachknife 29 is provided with a beveled gear 36, and these gears 36 aremeshed with beveled piuions 37 on the shaft 31. The pinions 37 may bedisposed in any position relative to the gears 36, so as to regulate thedirection in which the knives are driven, and by varying the size of thegears employed the speed'of the knives may also be regulated. As shownin Fig. 1, the knives are principally inclosed in the hollow standard12, only their cutting edges at the front of the standard being exposed.

For the purpose of guiding the cloth and for pressing it down on thetable in position to be properly cut I provide a pressurearm 38, thefront end of which is turned upward to form a shoe which may ride freelyover the top of the cloth. The inner or rear portion of the arm 38 isfit-ted to slide in a sleeve 39, formed on the upper portion of thestandard 12, such sleeve being provided with a set-screw 40 to hold thearm 38 rigidly in place. The inner end of the arm 38 is threaded, and onthis portion of the arrn Works a thumb-nut 41, by the operation of whichthe arm 38 may be raised or lowered to suit the amount of cloth to becut. The

nut 41 is seated in a cavity formed in the upper portion of the standard12 and is therefore incapable of all movement except a rotary movement,which is suicient to advance or retract the arm, as will be understood.A handle 42, of any suitable form, is attached to the rear of theapparatus to permit the ma-` nipulation thereof.

In using the invention the operator grasps the handle 42 and moves themachine over the table, causing the base 10 to slide under the cloth andthe arm 38 to bear down on top thereof to press the cloth together andfacilitate the action of the knives. When the m0- tor is started, theknives revolve rapidly in either direction desired and work throughoutthe whole of their exposed faces.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. A cloth-cutting machine having a base with aframing erected thereon, a motor carried at the upper part of theframing, a circular knife mounted at the lower part of the framing abovethe base and driven by the motor, a pressure-arm located above the knifeand having a curved part carried in a curved guide in the framing andadjustably held therein,the pressure-arm extending forwardly anddownwardly and having its lower end curved upward to form a shoe adaptedto ride over the cloth to be cut.

2. A cloth-cutting machine having a base, a framing erected thereon, amotor carried in the upper part of the framing, two stub-shafts mountedon the framing below the motor and having transverse openings in theirends, a circular knife mounted on each stub-shaft, the knives havingeach a bevel-gear thereon, a vertically-disposed rotary shaft gearedwith the motor and extending through the openings in the ends of thestub-shafts said openings forming bearings for the vertical shaft, audbevel-gears fastened to the vertical shaft meshing respectively with thebevel-gears on the knives.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM GERHARDT.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM LONDRIGAN, HENRY GERHARDT.

